diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/AbstractPmdReport.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/AbstractPmdReport.java
index d44028fd..4fd2a54f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/AbstractPmdReport.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/AbstractPmdReport.java
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ protected String constructXRefLocation(boolean test) {
             File xrefLoc = test ? xrefTestLocation : xrefLocation;
 
             String relativePath =
-                    PathTool.getRelativePath(outputDirectory.getAbsolutePath(), xrefLoc.getAbsolutePath());
+                    PathTool.getRelativePath(getReportOutputDirectory().getAbsolutePath(), xrefLoc.getAbsolutePath());
             if (relativePath == null || relativePath.isEmpty()) {
                 relativePath = ".";
             }